UAE- Speed limiters for private passenger buses mandatory

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The UAE Ministry of Interior (MoI) had issued a notice for mandating speed limiters for private passenger buses that hold a capacity of 22 passengers in line with a recommendation it received to that effect from the Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Metrology (ESMA). Owners of mini buses were then given a March 2013 deadline to comply with it. By now, about 70 per cent of the 50,000 operational mini buses have such speed limiters installed, with maximum speed limit being set at 100kmph

There are 100 plus types of vehicles including mini-passenger buses like Toyota HiAce, Nissan Urvan and Hyundai H1 in the rule and those that do not have a speed limiter will not get a pass certificate necessary for renewal of annual registration

"Speeding incidents involving both mini buses and passenger buses have significantly reduced following the move to install these devices. Many accidents are caused by over-speeding. This is why the UAE MoI had made it mandatory for mini buses to install speed limiters," said Mohammed Ashraf, Managing Director of Autograde

Ashraf was referring to statistics announced recently by Dubai Police trafic department, about speeding offences in Dubai for 2013 standing at 1.19 million or 67 per cent of the total violations

There are 110 'fitment' centres selected by Autograde across the UAE to ensure that the gear is installed properly. Over 45 such centres are in Dubai alone

After fitting the equipment, the centres set the limit with a tamper-proof device before issuing a certificate indicating the kit was installed properly. Ashraf said they qualify workshops and train technicians, too. Autograde started supplying speed limiters to Enoc-Tasjeel petrol stations in Jafza and Warsan on April 1

Enumerating the other benefits of speed limiters, they also afford drivers better control of their vehicles, help in reducing fuel consumption by keeping the vehicle in optimum speed zone

The new order to make it mandatory for buses to have speed limiters has impacted more than 253,000 pupils in Dubai who are served by more than 3,000 buses. School buses were already required to have speed control systems limiting them to 80 km/h

Overall, the initiative has been a great success in 2013 and will further see improvement in 2014

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